KAPIT: The National Institute Occupation, Safety and Health (Niosh) is studying the feasibility of setting up an office here.
Niosh chairman Datuk Wilson Ugak Kumbong revealed this at a welcoming dinner for three visiting senior officers from Niosh headquarters in Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur on Sunday evening.
The Niosh senior officers were the executive secretary of Niosh, Major Haji Hanif Maiden (RTD), manager of the Business and Marketing Division, Mohd Hussin Abdul Salam and Amir Ghazali.
They arrived on Sunday afternoon by road from Sibu and returned to Sibu late Monday.
Ugak said the aim of setting up a Niosh office here was to provide necessary training to workers.
“We have thousands of local working overseas in the oil and gas industry, logging industry, etc.
“There are many mega projects in Kapit including the ongoing Baleh Dam construction, coal mining at Nanga Merit, road projects from Nanga Mujong to Baleh Dam site, proposed road project from Nanga Ga’at to ulu Sungai Ga’at and others.
“It is observed that more than 5,000 workers of various categories are employed at the Baleh Dam construction site at various stages of construction.
“All of them require the occupation and safety certificates to work. By setting up the Niosh office in Kapit, we help the workers who seek employment by registering them and providing professional training so that they have the certificate to apply for jobs. Currently, they have to attend training outside Kapit in Miri which is costly,” explained Ugak.
The Hulu Rajang MP was appointed by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyuddin as the new chairman of Niosh in March this year.
Niosh currently has three offices in Sarawak, namely in Kuching, Bintulu and Miri respectively.
Ugak recently spent eight days visiting Sabah all the Niosh offices in Sabah. He paid working visits to the offices in Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, Tawau. The purpose of the visits was to get to know the role and function of Niosh in providing services to the workers.
Present at the welcoming dinner for the three visiting senior officers from Niosh here were Deputy Kapit Resident Galong Luang, Bukit Mabong District Officer Douglas Pungga, administrative officer to the Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing, Robert Liman, Superintendent of Land and Survey Kapit, Sagu Unting, Pemanca Steward Sawing and several community leaders.
